[M]A Race for Life {IC} {Jevan & Ashen}

[MidKnight]

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Rated M for Mature.

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Taegen was at the front of the barrier as his fellow warriors cheered him on to enter. Bashing their swords again'st their shields, chanting and shouting. He raised his hand up first as he felt the magic touching his skin. His eyes watched as he continued to move his hand through and soon the barrier swallowed his arm. He was slowly breathing heavily as he walked slowly towards the barrier. His heart pounding under his chest. He looked over his shoulder to see the Double Blade Spear he had on his back, a gift from his father before he left for war.

When his body was finally within the barrier, the sounds of his fellow warriors became muffled, then silence. He had his eyes closed when he went through for he was a little frightened about magic. Opening as he heard nothing other then silence, he opened his eyes to find himself on the other side of the barrier. Looking around quickly, he turns to face and see barrier between him and his brethren. Breathing slowly as he looked around. His eyes filled with amazement as ancient stones stood before him, stones made of the Gods his people had worship for thousands of years. A smile grew on his face as he placed his hand on top of where his heart is, and bows slightly with a prayer. "Gods watch over me and bless me today with strength." After the prayer, he looked around and glances at the statue before leaving.

His jogging pace was steady as he passed many old buildings, covered with roots of trees and leaves. He stopped when he was feeling another presence nearby, usually a feeling when he is watched. He reached for his weapon on his back and twirls it with his fingers. He breathes slowly, moving towards a old building and hides along the wall. Following towards the end, he stops at the corner and slowly looks around. Still nothing. Stepping out from cover, he looked around, stabbing the ground and sighs softly. "If you are around, it is better to step out now." He says aloud, waiting for the guardian or intruder.

[Ashen]

His time had finally come, and he couldn't help but feel... apathetic. So many warriors had come before him, so many had tried to penetrate this barrier, and all had failed. The old elf had no reason to think he would be any different, and he really didn't understand the big fuss about any of this. So they needed someone to break through the barrier into this magical tomb, and they needed to get there before the dark elves found a way to. That was all fine and good, he thought, but why him?

Salogel had never fancied himself anything significant. He was hardly a warrior; the elf had been orphaned early on, and had grown up as a thief of sorts. He had been a nobody, a reject among elves, until the king had taken a liking to him. Old King Cailu Trisgella had seen his skill once, had observed the way he was so precise with a bow. It was how Salogel had gotten by, hunting his own meals, staying on the very outskirts of the kingdom and the society. But as soon as Trisgella had noticed him, he was drafted into the army right away. To date, he had the most success on the battlefield; none could dodge his arrows, and none could strike the agile ghost of a fighter.

Not once had anyone asked him what he'd wanted. Salogel was unafraid of murder. He understood it was a necessary evil, especially during wartime, and he knew his skill could help out his own race. But he could never get excited, passionate, even nervous about what he did. It was all the same routine: he was the hunter reeling in his prey, just like he had been all his life.

Presently, as he stared at this cursed tomb, he could only let out a sigh. This, too, was part of the routine; he would try to get through, and he would fail, and the rest of the elves behind him, all of whom had already tried just this, would retreat to their cities and towns with disappointment tainting their shining eyes. So, as his acquaintances chanted his name, Salogel drew in a breath and secured his weapon, a simple bow and quiver strapped to his back. With that, he started towards the tomb, awaiting his newest failure.

Except... He hadn't failed. Salogel opened his eyes and looked around, confused. He'd... made it? He turned to the barrier that he had been sure would keep him out, and he looked at the ecstatic faces of his fellow elves. Some were shouting at him, words of encouragement. Salogel didn't know what to do. Did they really trust him to retrieve the ancient ruin within this tomb, the one said to bring about immortality? He turned away, to the entrance of the tomb, and gulped. Now was his chance. Now, he had to do another task. Just another cog in his well-oiled routine.

It was a beautiful tomb, one that resembled the nature of some of his cities. It was only a short time of wandering before he stumbled upon a room with a still lake. He peered into it, but he could not see the bottom, only a crystalline reflection of himself. Women elves would have thought him pretty. Salogel's long platinum hair was iron-straight, tied into several sorts of braids; his blue eyes reflected oceans; his pale skin was smoother than any surface known to elfkind; his thin, lean form made him the very model of agility and dexterity. He had never cared much about his looks, but he looked into his own eyes with his usual calm and collected expression. This was really happening. Only a couple years prior he had been stealing from a baker, trying to find a meal for the day, and now, now all of elfkind had faith that he would succeed. It was a startling thought indeed. He shook his head, turned away from his reflection, and he carried on.

He took to exploring, and after what might have been half an hour he heard something. He was not alone; someone was walking about in the next room. Salogel stopped and drew his bow, then drew a razor-sharp arrow from his quiver. He situated the arrow in the bow and waited, but it appeared as if his company had a similar idea. So, Salogel straightened, and he listened as the stranger called out to him. His words nearly drew a chuckle out of him. That accent, it was a dark elf. Salogel stepped forward, bow lowered but still ready to strike. He looked the newcomer over. "I need not your permission," he stated. "Tell me, what are you doing here? You are in search of the same thing I am, are you?"

[MidKnight]

The Dark Elf sees another approached him and realized what his kin color. He was a regular Elf, not a Dark Elf. Pulling his spear from the ground and twirled it around his fingers, he walked around from where the Elf had stood. Then he started circling around him like a bird, hunting it's prey. He examined the Elf's body, his hair, and his eyes. He noticed the bow he had and the arrows in a quiver on his back. A hunter. He scoffed at his appearance as he continued to circle around him.

His ears reached up when he heard him, asking him if he is here for the same reason. "I could be." Taegan's voice was soft, but deep as he spoke back to the Elf. His feet stopped after completing a full circle around the stranger. There was a low soft breathing between his lips. If he was here to retrieve the same artifact as he, Taegan should hurry to find the entrance into the tomb. He gripped on his spear and looked at the Elf with a slight glare. His feet suddenly took a huge step, running towards where the entrance would be.

His breathing was steady as his muscles pushed his body limits as he continued to search for the entrance. It took him minutes until he found a statue in the middle of the path. A statue of the Elven God of nature. He stopped and looked at the statue, dropping his spear and kneels on one knee. His head bowed with a hand on his chest. He speaks in a Dark Elf language, giving a small prayer towards the statue. His head looks up and noticed something behind it. It would appear the entrance door was there. The doors were large, tall and had beautiful designs carved in the wood. He stands up slowly and walks around the statue. He looks around for the other if he had kept up with him.

His eyes gazed upon the door, his hand touches the wood and gives a slight push. Though it did not budge. He gives another shove, only this time harder. It still not budged. He growled as his yellow eyes glared at the door. He kicks the entrance, it still not budged. His patience was wearing thin as he got angrier at the door. Cursing in his native language and looked around. He finds a large stone to sit on and examines the door. He pouts as he waits for the other to arrive to give his best.

He noticed written words on the door, but the language was very old. He squinted at the words and some of the letters he recognized, but the rest was ineligible. He examined the rest of the words and tried to understand what it mean. Was it a rhyme? A warning? Or just words? He could not know.

[Ashen]

Salogel was confused by this dark elf. The way circled him, as if he were some creature of prey. Did this elf not know what Salogel was? Had he not heard of the elf with eyes of a hawk? Did he expect him to be scared? Salogel was still as he let the stranger do whatever it was he was doing. And then, just like that, the dark elf was gone, running off into the tomb.

The elf had better things to do than chase after the nutcase. He gave a small shrug of his shoulders, and he set off into the tomb himself. He went a different path, exploring the rooms he entered. Eventually, he found the same room the dark elf had been stuck in. He looked over the thinking creature with an arched brow. From the looks of things, the dark elf had tried to open the door in the room, but had had little success. Blue eyes looked to the script on the door. It was written in an elven language, one Salogel could remember bits and pieces of. He'd spent much of his life on the streets; he had picked up plenty of words there. He didn't understand the grammar, exactly, but maybe...

The elf approached the door, and he ran his fingers over the words. Three. Rock. Push? No, kick. Attack. He was making out few words. He paused to look around the room, and suddenly an idea struck. He walked to the dark elf. "Oi," he said softly. His voice was gentle, as if he weren't speaking to a sworn enemy. "That script there is in one of my languages, and I cannot expect you to know it. I am led to believe there are other clues in mixtures of elven and dark elven tongues as well. Thusly, I propose we work together for this. It is simply a suggestion, but perhaps it will aid us. If you decline, well, I suppose I can keep my mouth shut about what this door here reads."

He walked back to the door. If he understood it right, he knew exactly what would open this door. Was this just the first step? How many more mysteries were in this tomb? Would the two need to work together? He glanced towards the dark elf again. Who was this being, anyway? Salogel was not one to judge, despite this elf being his exact opposite. He was willing to set differences aside, now. He had a mission, and he intended to fulfill everyone's wishes.

[MidKnight]

Taegan quickly grabs his spear as he hears the other was coming closer to him. He stood up quickly as he watched the other carefully and examined his moves. 'Is he joking' He thought to himself, his eyebrow raised with a confusing expression.

'If I allow him to help me, what would that gain him? And he is the enemy?! Why would he want my help?!'

He looked at the male and gives a soft sigh and looked at the ground before returning his gaze back on the Elf. "You recognize some of the words huh?" He asked, "Odd...I know some of the letters as well. Some of it is Dark Elf and if you know the other words, that would mean it is written in both languages of our people." He looked at the Elf, from feet to his hair. He was indeed handsome, but trusting him would take time.

"So you say you know some of the words?" Asking him once more, He kept his distance from the other and looked at the door. "I can decipher a part of that as well..." He looked at the words, "'Show my hand the way, and my light will shine the darkness.'" The words continued on, but the rest was not his language. "Light...what light?" He placed a finger on his chin and stood there quietly in front of the door. "Is it talking about a person?" He asked softly to himself.

[Ashen]

Though the dark elf seemed to have his doubts, he ended up trusting him anyway. Salogel let out a little sigh of relief. If the two of them were working together, maybe this wouldn't be so difficult. Maybe this would truly be an attainable goal. He nodded a bit at the other's question, and he looked to the door again. The dark elf thought Salogel was fluent? Well, he wasn't about to let him know the truth. As long as he knew enough to get by, what did it matter anyway?

Show my hand the way, and my light will shine the darkness. The old elf considered those words for a few minutes, wondering exactly what they could mean. Show my hand the way... And from what he gathered from one of the elven dialects... Salogel walked up to the door. He felt around the stone wall beside it while still studying the words. He had to attack the third stone. Third from what, though, was unknown. Perhaps, he thought to himself, he had to press the third stone from the right corner of the room. That was one of the biggest differences in elven and dark elven texts; elven text started at the right. So he felt the third stone, and tried pressing it, but nothing happened. Maybe he didn't have this in the bag after all.

Salogel stepped away, a curious finger to his bare chin. "We need to press the third stone," he told the dark elf. Lead my hand... As an idea came to mind, Salogel motioned the dark elf over. He took his hand in his and delicately led it to the wall. His own hands were as soft as they looked, without a single crack or scar. He looked concentrated, and he led the enemy's fingers right over the third stone. For a few seconds, nothing happened, but when he pressed the dark elf's fingers into the stone, the cold rock suddenly moved away. Light poured into the room, and soon the door opened with a heavy sigh.

Salogel looked over the opened door with an arched brow. So, they would have to work together. He looked to the dark elf to see what he would now do. If he understood their situation like Salogel did, he would know this would be no solo mission. So, Salogel reached a hand towards the enemy, an offered handshake. "I am called Salogel," he said softly. "Whether we like it or not, I think you and I will have to work together to attain our goals. It is best to start with knowing each other's names."

[MidKnight]

Taegan watched as the doors opened the entrance to their next step. He didn't believe it when his hand was guided by his enemy to open the door. A easy clue and yet so odd. When he took a step back and looked beyond the hall of dark shadows, he wondered what secrets and what more clues they would need to go further into the ancient tomb. The light shined parts of the shadow and revealed large stones of ancient warriors and mages. Both Elven, but which side? The colors were the same, but the stance were different.

He looked at the hand of his enemy whom seem to be more friendly then the others he had met before. Most of them usually curse him and tried to kill him. He survived the odds, obvious he was still standing in front of the Elven warrior. He looked at the face of his foe and wondered what was going through his mind. He didn't reach for his hand, instead he opened his mouth and said one word. "Taegan."

He looked at the entrance and grabs his spear. His first step inside felt cold and musky. The air felt polluted with death. That didn't stop him as his mind grew more curious at the stones on the wall. Each one was a different stance, a different pose. There were no names, no tabloids. Not even a carve. He stopped and stood in the middle of the hall and looked down further. "Camp fire?" He asked over his shoulder to the other fellow. "It'll be dark soon, and I prefer not to go walking in shadows while it's dark."

[Ashen]

The enemy--Taegan--hadn't taken his hand. Salogel made note of that, but he would not let animosity claim him. The dark elf had been made to believe he was the enemy, after all; Salogel could hardly fault him for being distrusting. The elf turned his attention to the opened door, and the new shadows that suddenly polluted his vision. Statues littered the hall, each of a different elf. Upon closer inspection, Salogel realized they were of different breeds of creatures, both elven and dark elven. He could barely make out the distinctions, which was an interesting thought. The statues would require further study, but as the elf looked over Taegan, he realized that would have to wait.

It was getting dark, and though Salogel didn't mind, he gathered that Taegan did. He stopped walking "We may rest, aye," he replied. He looked around, tried to find some firewood. "I will return with adequate materials. I shall assume you will hold here?" He made eye contact with Taegan, though he wasn't expecting the dark elf to stay. Regardless, he bowed his head in farewell and set off back through the door they had come through. There had been a room he'd explored with loads of firewood. He just hoped the door would not close behind him, effectively locking him away from fulfilling everyone's dreams.

The elf had returned in less than ten minutes carrying more than enough wood for a campfire. He entered through the door again and set the wood down, then crouched next to it. He got right to work starting his fire. It was soon clear this man knew what he was doing; he chose the perfect branches to initiate, and continued adding more. The branches he'd harvested were all dry, sturdy. He tossed in a piece of burning cloth, and soon the fire was firmly crackling. To an inexperienced elf, if may have seemed like a feat short of magic, but it was just another day in the life.

Fire satisfactory, he sat beside it and looked up towards the stranger. "I thought dark elves were supposed to like the dark," he said, a joke. "These statues, some of them are your leaders? I cannot say I recognize the faces." He dug into his satchel and pulled out a piece of dried food, bit into it. "Ah, have you any nutrition? I do hope you were at least wise enough to bring food. If not, well... I suppose I have some to share?" Sharing food with the enemy. It would seem Salogel really did not understand war at all.

[MidKnight]

The dark elf looked around the area and examined the statues when the stranger had mentioned the similarity. "There are a few I recognize, but the others..." He paused when he noticed other Dark Elves were not seen or heard of. "...they must have been far older to be not remembered." His eyes returned to the fire and smiled slightly when the enemy had made a joke remarking on his appearance.

"Not all Dark Elves like the dark." He says while watching Salogal reaching inside his satchel and revealed food in his hand. When he asked Taegan if he had brought a meal of his own, his hand reached behind his back. A brown leather satchel was grabbed tightly by his hand and laid the bag on his lap. He looked at the other elf and raised up a hand. "I'm fine." He said softly.

Pulling a wrapped up leaf with bread inside, he takes a bite of both and chews it slowly as he looked at the fire burning the twigs and branches.

Taegan looked at the other elf and exhales softly. His hand goes in the satchel and pulled another wrapped leaf bread and his arm extended towards the male. Offering a meal of his own was strange.

The bread he was eating not only contained the leaf, but a small amount of rich and creamy butter inside of the bread. The butter made his mouth water as he took a bite. Through took his time eating it away.

"I was surprised about how you solved the mystery of the puzzle..how did you do it?" He asked with a curious face.

[Ashen]

Salogel refused the stranger's food, motioning subtly to his own with his chin. He ate of his dried grains and looked around the room. The fire was giving off quite the glow, and the heat that came from its flames could put the elf to sleep. After a moment he looked to the food of the enemy. Salogel had never been picky about food. Growing up, he'd never had the opportunity to be. He had eaten whatever he'd been able to get his hands on. Sometimes, that included low-end elven food. Other times, that included even dark elven food. He'd grown up on mixtures of both, but he had to wonder if Taegan was as repulsed by his earthy food as most of his kind was by Taegan's fatty food. With a shrug, Salogel chewed over his meal and turned away.

He didn't look right away when he was addressed. Salogel was silent for a while, and for a few moments it might have appeared as if he were ignoring the dark elf. He soon answered with a gentle shrug of the shoulders. "I thought it out logically," he replied simply, as if it were obvious. "This temple... I know not its history, or its reason, but I do not think it was built by elves or dark elves. My belief is that it was built by a combination of the two, or perhaps something even greater. I have pondered it in life, the reasons behind our races' hate. I always came up... clueless. And here... I feel a sense of serenity. Perhaps it is from being alone, with only one other being. In here, you are neither elf nor dark elf."

He looked to Taegan with soft, tired eyes. "To me, working together made the most sense. This temple would not be imbued with hatred. It cannot know what we stand upon. So to it, we are two beings trying to uncover its secrets. The puzzles I believe we will find will be meant for elves and dark elves. It's too serene here to be any different." An odd answer, and perhaps one better suited for a hippie, but Salogel didn't care much for what Taegan thought of him. He shrugged again and turned back to his food. Only when he had swallowed did he speak again. "If you want the short answer, I simply understood the elven runes on the wall. Paired with your dark ones, I was able to decipher the message, and follow my intuition. And now we are here. Enjoying a meal together."

[MidKnight]

Slowly eating his meal, he looked at the fire and pondered on the others answer. A temple of both Elves and Dark Elves. He looked at the other for a moment. Staring only at his complexion. The sound of fire crackling between them killed the silence. Joining the sounds of animals such as the birds that somehow remain to exist in this shelled temple.

He noticed the smooth surface of this one. But earlier he felt his soft touch from before, when he had guided his hand on the door. His fingers were not hardened nor rough. Just smooth.

He placed his half eaten meal back on the lea. He stood up and grabbed his weapon and stabbed the ground hard. Dropping slowly in front of the weapon, he relaxed when his back is pressed against the spear. He looked at the other and sighs softly. His eyes closed and drifted to slumber.

Morning....

He awoke slowly and felt his neck was stiff. He groaned as he moved the base of his neck and his bones cracking and popping. He moaned softly as he felt the pressure was at ease. He rubbed his neck and managed it gently and looked at the other, who seem to either awake as well or still sleeping. He couldn't tell.

He stood up and looked around. He noticed the sounds of birds and insects no longer filled the air. Just silence, it was unusual. He grabbed his spear when he felt his back suddenly felt cold. Pulling it out of the ground, he heard bushes moving from a distance. "You better get up." Taegan finally says. "We're being hunted."

[Ashen]

Salogel was comfortable in the silence, so he didn't mind that Taegan hadn't answered him. He listened to the crackling fire, the distant wildlife, and a more distant stream, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy. Finally, once he had finished his meal, he looked up at Taegan. The dark elf was driving his spear into the ground, and then using it to lean against. In minutes he was asleep, leaving Salogel to his own devices.

He took his time cleaning the crumbs from his food. He scattered them a little distance away from the fire, free for any of the animals of this temple to eat. He then put out the fire, not knowing what could happen. Once all was finished, Salogel pressed his back against the stone cold surface of one of the statues, and he sighed. Such a curious day. The elf didn't know what to expect in the days to come, and he didn't know what to expect of his new companion, but that would remain to be seen. For now, he drifted off into sleep.

He was too light a sleeper to be awake after Taegan. Salogel's eyes opened at the first sound of something or someone behind them. He looked over at Taegan, still uncomfortable against the spear. He'd have cramps when he woke. Salogel then looked around them. The crumbs from that night were gone. There was silence now, an uncomfortable one that did not welcome wildlife. Salogel paused, thinking it over. As he did, the dark elf rose and looked at him. He was rubbing at his neck, and briefly Salogel wondered if he should have woken the dark elf before his neck stiffened. He shook it off.

He stood and nodded towards Taegan, his only morning greeting. "What would care to hunt us?" he said. The elf reached for the simple bow on his back, and he surveyed the area. Taegan's spear would provide melee support, while he could take on any enemy from afar. Maybe they would stand a fighting chance. "We are not alone here," he said. "I cannot imagine what would claim this temple home, but I advise, do tread with caution."

[MidKnight]

Eyes searched around as the sound of bushes continued to rustle, twigs breaking and movement hastened. The sound was coming closer to them and stopped for several seconds before moving again.

Taegan turned his head to face his fellow warrior, "Before I entered here....there was this tabloid my people grew fond of." He spoke softly as he moved in a circle. "The Guardian protects the pure....destroys the impurity...protects the peace....destroys the corruption..."

He stopped and looked at the direction where the noise was coming from. "The Guardian is eternal." He raised his spear and posed in a defensible position. "I hope he finds us worthy..." He says and points the sharp end.

Just before he was about to attack, something has come out of the bushes, but it wasn't big, nor seem to be dangerous. A creature that was a size close to the knee perhaps. Colored in a black and brown, black on the bushy tail and white bushy fur on its chest and back. Black on the forehead and brown on the sides. Ears were big, and eyes seem small.

Taegan looked at the fox like animal and lowered his spear. "This is the Guardian?" He spoke in a surprisingly and yet shocking way. He looked at Salogal with an odd expression. He returned his attention back to the animal.


He kneels down and clicked his tongue a couple of times. The fox creature only sniffed and before running up on his arm and crawling on his shoulder. The fox sniffed his ear and his hair, including his neck, skin. As if Taegan was a new creature to the world. The fox looked at Salogal and jumped on him next. Repeating the same process to him as he done to Taegan. When it was done, the creature made a soft squeak sound and looked at the both. It must be looking for food.


(The Fox.)
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[Ashen]

Salogel's ears perked at the mention of a guardian. He, too, had heard tales of some guardian, some peace protector, but it was a dark elven myth. He didn't know specifics, but he trusted Taegan would lead them where they needed to be. He stood, poised, weapon at the ready, expecting to cross paths with a mighty beast of darkness. What appeared instead was a fluffy little thing that couldn't possibly be the Guardian, or anything special at all.

The elf looked over the small creature, watched as it examined Taegan. The fox then jumped over to him, and sniffed at him. Salogel remained completely still until the animal hopped off. He then crouched to its level and extended a hand towards it. After briefly gaining its trust, his long fingers scratched behind the creature's ears and along its neck. It let out some sort of sound of pleasure. Salogel, like most elves, had a way with animals. He was glad such an affinity was coming to use. The fox seemed more relaxed now, and when Salogel finished petting it, it sniffed around in search of food.

Straightening, the elf dug into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of dried food. He offered it to the fox, who took it up gladly. Perhaps it was foolish to share what little he had with a wild animal, but that was the kind of elf Salogel was. He looked up to Taegan and raised a brow. "This is the Guardian of which you speak? I thought our affinity was with beasts. Your Guardian is a fox?" He watched the creature with what might have been a smile. "I think we might have a new pet."

[MidKnight]

"Yes....I think, we actually don't know what theGuardian looks like. All I know is, the Guardian was supposed to be dangerous." He looked at little furry animal and kneels down. He touches the back of the fox's ear, who seem to actually liked it. The fox closed its eyes and allowed the Dark Elf to pet him, including the other as well.

"If he going to be a pet, he better keep up." Taegan finally says and reaches for his spear. The fox looked up at Taegan and back towards Salogel. The fox jumped on the elf's lap and remained there.

"We better get moving, I do not want to see what else lays lurking in the woods." Taegan looked around and moved further down the trail.

The inside of the building was odd. It had the look of a inside, but outside as well. He was curious if the place allowed itself to be overrunned by life. The grass grew where it was impossible, and the trees bursted through the walls as if it punched through on its own. And the ceiling high as the mountains. Clear skies and birds flying.

He stopped when he sees a statue standing guard in the middle of a jungle. The statue had a elven sword, and a shield. Armor which he had never seen before. He could not tell if the statue was of the work of Dark Elves or regular Elves. He looked at Salogel. "What do you think this appears as?" He asked softly as if he was being watched.

[Ashen]

Just like that they were moving again. Salogel nodded and slung his bow over his shoulder once more. With the fox following them, they were off, making their way through the inside of the temple.

It was a strange place, one Salogel did not yet know how to understand. The vegetation grew in impossible shapes, in impossible places. The mosses and vines covered old buildings and statues. The elf was baffled; from the outside, the temple hadn't looked all that big, but from the inside it appeared as if the place was, at one time, a town all its own. He wondered what sorts of creatures might have lived in a temple town, whether they were elves or dark elves or something different altogether. How did they live in this world trapped inside a temple? Did they know they were trapped at all? What did they do with the treasure Salogel and Taegan had been sent to retrieve?

The elf stopped when his dark elf companion did, and his crystal eyes followed Taegan's gaze. There was a statue of an elf, a warrior of sorts. Salogel walked up to it, gently ran his fingers over the base. "It appears to be another ancient hero, this one of my race." He tilted his head to the side, causing long, platinum hair to fall. "There are no words. I do not recognize the face, though the armor resembles that of which some of our warriors wear. It is rare though, this type. As I understand, it's a style of armor borrowed from dark elves. I... I know not what this means."

He studied it for a few minutes, noting the small details of the figure. Finally, he stopped pacing and turned to face Taegan. "Perhaps our new friend can tell us something," he said, half in jest. "Shall we investigate somewhere else and return here at a later time?"

[MidKnight]

The Fox had simply fled from the statue and hidden under bushes and its body shook in fear.

Taegan looked back at the Fox as it ran away. Slowly returning his gaze back to the statue. He took a step back when he noticed the head had turned, facing him in the exact position. Taegan muttered softly as he slowly moved back further away from the odd statue. "Salogel...Get...Behind me."

Once he backed away further, the statue changed his position and raised it's shield up high and its sword as well. As though it was flexing before battle. Taegan's eyes widen and stood in a defensible position. "Move it!!" He shouted as he pointed his weapon at the stone creature.

The stone beast swung its sword towards Taegan, whom quickly dodged the attack by ducking. He stood again to regain his footing. The blade came back once again. Blocking with his spear, Taegan was pushed away and landed on his back.

He groaned as his body landed, and dirt in his face. He spits out the dirt and slowly gets back up to brush off the dirt. He looked to Salogel, "Get to high ground." He shouted, but then quickly to dodge another swift attack.

[Ashen]

Salogel noticed the fox was cowering, and he raised a brow at it. He tried to get the small creature's attention, but it didn't want to move. Whatever this statue was about, the animal was terrified of it. Salogel turned back to the statue, and he noticed piercing stone eyes staring at Taegan. They hadn't been doing that before. Automatically Salogel moved behind Taegan and drew his bow. He didn't know what to expect, but he got the strong feeling they were in for a fight.

The dark elf nearly bumped into him in his desperate attempt to back away from the statue, who was now swinging his weapon recklessly. Salogel fired an arrow at the statue, and though it landed with alarming accuracy in the center of the statue's forehead, it didn't seem to have any effect. The elf swore under his breath and backed away. He looked around the room, moving to higher ground before Taegan even had the opportunity to issue his order.

Salogel didn't like leaving Taegan to the statue. He was disadvantaged, using a spear against a sword, but Salogel was best with his archery. He fired a couple more arrows at the beast, each landing in the exact same spot he had struck earlier. Again his arrows seemed to be doing nothing. He furrowed his brow, got to a higher position, and kept trying. Salogel had shot through rock before; he had no doubts he'd be able to do it again. While it appeared fruitless, he could see the subtle crack in the stone. He cleared through a few more arrows, and Taegan kept the beast busy with his spear. Together, they were slowly making their way through their foe.

Slowly, the two of them deepened the crack in the statue's forehead. Finally, running low on arrows, Salogel drew a dagger from his pouch and leapt down from his perch, driving the arrow into the statue's head. This stalled but did not stop the statue. Now, Salogel was on foot, a dagger against the sword and shield. "Come on," he said to Taegan. "I'll give you a breather. It's time for him to chase me."

[MidKnight]

The Stone guardian moved again as it continued to swing it's heavy sword and using the shield to block attack. Taegan groaned as he got back on his feet and looked around to see if they had anything useful. He could not see what he could use to gain the field again'st a guardian. He looked back to the other elf. His eyes stained upon his bravery by fighting with just a dagger. "No." He said clearly as he raised his spear. He charged with all his might and swung his weapon at the back leg of the stone warrior. The blade clashed and sparks blazed from contact. But it was no effect.

"Quickly, find a way out!" Taegan shouted as he watched the guardian staring back at him. Slowly making his way to him, and away from Salogel. "We cannot defeat this monster with blunt weapons." He pointed out as he raised his spear to defend himself. "I'll keep him distracted." He steps back rather quickly and soon the guardian followed after.

The Fox yelps as it begun to run after Salogel and quickly latched onto his leg. Keeping a rather tight grip.

[Ashen]

Salogel glanced back at Taegan but did not so blindly obey his orders. "If we run from it, there is nothing stopping it from giving us chase." Though the dark elf had a point; their contact weapons would do little to pure stone. Salogel looked around, feeling trapped. He wasn't sure where they could go now or what they could do against this beast. Perhaps their only option was to retreat after all.

The elf had nothing wrong with retreating. As a child, he'd known when to stay in and fight and when to keep going. But there was something about this fight that he did not want to leave. If they did escape, what were the chances this beast would only follow them? Would Salogel be able to rest easy that night if he knew this thing was out to get them?

He shook his head, his platinum hair falling like a veil beside his face. "We can topple it," he suggested. "It is a large beast. If we strike at its legs, it will be paralyzed, and we will be able to continually slash at it." He drew his dagger again, and put far more confidence in it than the small knife seemed to warrant. Salogel was confident in his abilities, though. He was sure he'd be able to take on the beast, with Taegan's help.

In several swift motions Salogel was striking at the statue's base and dodging every hit he threw. The elf was an agile thing, and had no problems gracefully dancing between strikes. He listened to the welps of the fox and hoped he would not be keeping the creature long. "Taegan," he called, hoping the dark elf would join him. Stone at the base was starting to chip away at where Salogel was striking, but his own dagger would not be immune to the wears and tears of battle. A longer sword would be more fitting. "If we both attack a single foot, his balance will be off. Come, help me with this."

[MidKnight]

Hearing the words for help, Taegan gritted his teeth and looked to where they could escape. But the other had to come up with idea that would kill them both. He sighs softly and twirls the spear in his hand and runs towards the three. He noticed the other was an archer, using only a dagger was insufficient. He swings the spear in a circle before leaping forward and struck the leg Salogel had mentioned. He continued striking the leg, crippling it so the beast or guardian would be immobilized. Once he hits a mark, the guardian groaned like it was in pain.

Taegan grabbed the small animal and pulled the elven archer away from the stone warrior. Heading to where it could be safe for the three. He sees the cavern entrance and runs inside. He was out of breath, he mostly inhaled with his nose and exhaled through his mouth. He repeated this over and over, his lower abdomen flexed with each breath. He looked around and examined their surroundings. "That stone beast is tough." He said looking at the tip of his spear, it started to look a little dull. He growls for a second before placing it on his back and looked to the other. "Come on, we should find a safe spot to rest."

He continued walking down a path that led away from the fields where the stone warrior was. Their area sounded more secluded, less creatures and more plants. Taegan wondered if any of the outside creatures have ever made it pass the guardian. He wasn't bother about it much. What he really wanted was to start a fire and search his pack for a whetstone. "If your dagger is dull, let me know." He said sitting down next to the fire and took the tip of his spear off and examined it. He sighs heavily.

[Ashen]

Sure enough, Salogel's plan seemed to have been working. The elf did not get a chance to see how the stone beast reacted, however, before he was being dragged away from the fight by the dark elf. Salogel was patient, but even he would get irritated if this creature kept pulling him away. With a sigh he dismissed the entire scene. As they entered the next room, a smile crept onto his face as he heard a resounding thud. The creature had fallen, and with any luck, he would be immobile for quite some time now.

They continued on, knowing that they were too near the stone golem to truly rest. After a while, the two of them finally began to slow. Taegan made a fire and plopped down by it, then got to work sharpening his weapon. Salogel looked at his dagger. It was chipped now, and would require some fortification. "I wonder what sorts of materials might be available," he murmured, looking around. He'd need new arrows too, which would be simple enough to make. He'd been making them with scraps he'd stumbled upon all his life; this would be no different. So, after making sure the stone beast was not following them, and that Taegan was content, Salogel head off into other rooms in search of materials.

By the time he returned he was holding several stones and pieces of wood. He dropped them all beside Taegan and the fire, then sat down and got to work. He took his time sharpening the stones against each other, using his dagger to shave the wood. Salogel was making more weapons. "I presume the giant left us alone?" he asked. "I did not hear him in my search for materials, so I think it is safe to assume he is where we left him. We should be able to safely rest up here for as long as we need. I need only to remake my weapons, and I should be alright."

Beyond that, he was a quiet worker. His hands, though smooth, were skilled, and he moved quickly in his metalwork. He didn't look up much, but his ears were attuned to Taegan, and he would know if the dark elf moved suddenly.

[MidKnight]

The Dark Elf used his whetstone to repair the damage that was done by the stone guardian. He watched as the other was doing the same to his daggers and created arrows. He watched him while his fingers carefully pulled the whetstone across the surface of his spear. The sound of soothing stones moving with his weapon brought him some ease tension. He would breathe slowly and then hummed for a second. Thinking of a song he use to sing when he was younger. But the humming stopped for a second and then looked at the pile of woods burning.

While Salogel went off looking for materials, Taegan had the fire pit prepared and it burned gently then ever. His eyes set on the burning chips below the logs. Hearing the sounds of crackling over and over. He felt at peace for once, he did not feel hate towards the other Elf.

Then his eyes slowly moved to the other Elf, watching him for several seconds. He kept his gaze in a hard steel expression. Then his hand reached behind his back and moved quickly towards the Elf. A dagger flies back the Elf and towards the bush. A loud thud hits the ground and the dagger sticking out of the animal. It wasn't the fox who followed the two, he was sitting next to Salogel, but stood up and looked at the dead creature.

Taegan stood up as well and walked over to the dead carcass. It was not a fox like theirs, but it was a different creature. He had never seen such a thing, but it had teeth. He wondered if it was a carnivore, he walked back to the fire pit and started skinning the animal and removed the inner parts. The fox rushed over and snatched a few organs and dragged them over to his own little area to eat. "Guess he likes meat." He says softly while looking at Salogel with a gentle look. "Do you eat meat as well?" He asked curiously, ripping more of the skin off, the sounds of bones cracking as he pulled.

[Ashen]

Salogel enjoyed working with his weapons. The repetitive motions of sharpening the stones and wood soothed him, and the elf could close his eyes and relax to the sound of his work. Despite his lack of vision, he made no mistakes, and his pace did not slow. Looking anywhere but his working hands, Salogel looked asleep, so at peace with his own ability. He didn't stir until the second he heard Taegan move suddenly.

The dark elf had attacked, though it was not Salogel he was after. The elf looked over his companion, then looked to where his dagger had landed. "Fine shot," he complimented, though he left it at that. Salogel set his weapons aside and walked towards Taegan's fresh kill, examining it. He didn't recognize the kind of animal, but he assumed it was a natural predator of some sort. He didn't know how safe it was to eat, but assuming they could eat it, it would be more than enough to feed them both. Salogel stepped away, not wanting to take what was not his. He watched their fox have no qualms with stealing food. So, the elf though, probably safe for consumption.

Salogel stepped away from the dead animal. He shrugged his shoulders the slightest bit when he was addressed. "When you live on the streets for as long as I have, you do not get the luxury of being picky." He nodded. "I eat what is available, and while I prefer that not be meat, I don't mind when it is." The sounds coming from Taegan working the corpse didn't scare him at all. Salogel was a hunter before he was a warrior; he knew what needed to be done to prep an animal for consumption. "I would not just throw your dagger around at any animal that comes about. You could ruin this for both of us."

[MidKnight]

Taegan only chuckled on the comment about throwing his dagger around just like he did. He looked over his shoulder with a smile on his face. "It is already ruined with that stone monster out there." He finally places the skin on a tree to let it dry and takes the dead animal to the fire pit. He takes his spear and stabs through it and let's it hang over the fire.

He lets the meat cook for now and sits by the fire. His eyes watched the ground, but slowly moved to where Salogel was sitting. "You learned from the streets?" He asked softly. "I wasn't raised on the streets like you were. I was taught how to hunt and fight when I was young." He sighs heavily. "Guess our cultures are different then I thought." He hand groomed through his hair and gently rubbed his shoulder and moaned softly.

"Fighting that stone beast was tougher then I thought." He continued rubbing his shoulder and felt his muscles ached. "Good thing my spear didn't break, otherwise I would have to depend on you to fight for us towards the center." He looked past the Elf and sees a diagram on a wall. It showed the ancient hidden temple marked areas and in the middle was where they would find what they were looking for. "This place was not meant to be found." He looked back at the meat cooking, hearing the sizzling sounds and dripping juice burned in the pit.

[Ashen]

Salogel was absently running his fingers through his long hair as Taegan spoke. He cocked his head a bit to the side, then shrugged. "I am something of an anomaly when it comes to elvish culture," he said. "My parents were killed early in my life by your kind, and I was left to my own devices. I developed a knack for hunting, and mainly got by with my bow and my quick wit. I stole what I couldn't get naturally myself, and I survived until King Cailu noticed me. He saw something in my skill, recruited me to his army, and I become something of a prodigy from there. It was only a matter of time before he chose me for this. He never anticipated I would actually get in, but then, no one did. Here I am."

Salogel's voice held no emotion as he spoke. He had come to terms with his own past, and clearly had no opinions on the matter. He paused before continuing. "Normal elves grow up with their folks, who send them to schools or temples, typically. We have great emphasis on knowledge over force, but you can find elves in both sects, in our libraries and our barracks. I imagine, then, it is not terribly different from your own culture." Salogel finished braiding his hair then, tossing the long strand behind his back. "We are all the same in the end," he mumbled to himself, but after that he dropped it.

When Salogel finished speaking, he turned around to see what Taegan was looking at. The diagram intrigued him, and he got up to look at it. "We can fight the guard at a later time, after we fasten weapons more equipped at dealing with a stone enemy. Or, perhaps we need not fight him at all." He lightly traced his finger over the stone of the diagram, wondering how helpful this would be. "It appears as though this map shows some narrow entryways into different rooms. We have not yet checked these rooms over here. We may be able to find something, some clue or way towards the center." He looked over the map one last time, then nodded. Salogel started towards those rooms. "Will you follow?"

[MidKnight]

He examined the wall a bit longer, trying to understand what they had to deal with in the future. He looked at the arrows, and some other rooms with odd symbols. Symbols he never seen before, it was strange. He takes in a deep breath and looked at Salogel and nodded. "I will follow, but we still don't have the necessities to defeated the stone creature." He walked back to the fire pit to pick up his spear and place it on his back. He wiped his hands clean and tugged on his robe that wrapped around his waist. "We need black powder to defeat him."

He walked back to the map diagram and studied it further. The rooms were in a different direction, and each had a different symbol. "We should search these rooms to find something useful, something that is better than our current weapons."

Taegan folded his arms, his thumb touching the bottom of his lip as he started to think. "Otherwise, if we keep this up, we will run out of materials to keep our blades sharpen, and we will be force to turn around and return to our clans and face humiliation." His eyes with hard with certainty, "I will die before I return." He faces towards Salogal, "So...what do you say?" He asked calmly. "Find what we need to defeat the stone beast...and find what is hidden past it?" He smiled slightly.

[Ashen]

Salogel nodded to show that he was listening to Taegan. It would benefit them to find other weapons, or other things to use as weapons. Though Salogel did have daggers for any melee attacks, his weapon of preference had always been his bow. He wondered what sorts of arrows he could find, what sorts of things they would be able to use to ensure their survival. He knew that pondering it would get him nowhere, though, so he nodded at the dark elf and started towards one of the corridors on the map.

They were able to make it there without any event. Salogel peered down the dark hall. According to the map, it led to a small room, but he could not see it through the darkness. He turned to Taegan, wondering if this dark elf had night vision of some sort. "Is it wise to step into such a place?" he asked. "It might be worth exploring, but we should watch our steps." With that, he padded forward into the darkness, taking caution where he stepped and hoping he was not entering his doom.

It was a long corridor, but it entered into a room like the map had promised. The room was plain, void of any vegetation or windows. The darkness swelled around them, though there was a dim glow from a statue in the center of the room. Salogel approached it and examined it. "There is a liquid oozing from this statue," he said to Taegan. He reached out to touch it, but retracted his fingers at the last moment. "It's poisonous," he stated. "Look at the way the liquid bubbles. There was moss here once, but it appears as if the sludge has burned it." Salogel dug into his pack. "Have you a jar?" he asked. "They would make good weapons, acid-soaked arrows."

[MidKnight]

"It's not just poisonous...but also melts your skin." Taegan looked at the strange liquid ooze as his eyes had changed. He could see in the dark, but for a short while. He looked around in the shadows as the other elf wondered aimlessly. He walked up to the elf as if he could see him clear as day, taking quiet steps around him like a vulture waits for it's prey to die.

Searching around the area, he sees a room with a symbol on the top of the entrance. He taps lightly on the other elf and reached for his hand. "There is another room here." He says quietly. He guided the other elf as he ventured further in the dark tunnels.

Stepping in the room, he looked around and sees it had several urns and tables. Dust and dirt as it's cover, and the urns took a toll from aging. He looked around the room, examining the urns, and touches the surface with the tip of his finger. He opened the lid and looked inside, but even with his vision, it was still too dark. "I wonder what's in here." He says quietly and moves his hand inside, reaching down further to feel a soft sand material. He quickly pulls his arm out and scoffs. "Ashes." He said roughly.

A noise creeps from further in the room, a noise that made him stop in his tracks and hold his breath. "Stop...did you hear that?" He asked Salogel, looking around in the room. "We are not alone."

[Ashen]

Salogel noted the fear in the other's voice. He turned his attention back to the poison, undaunted. He needed to find something that could hold it; it was too convenient a weapon modifier to leave it. The elf felt through his bag, and he pulled out his dagger. The sheath was made of stone, and could act as a sort of container... Salogel gently touched the lip of the sheath to the statue, and he watched as the deep liquid flowed into it. When it was full, he fastened several layers of cloth over the opening, and he put the new vial away, just in time for Taegan to lead him elsewhere.

They entered another room, one that was just as dark as the last. Salogel squinted, trying to make out any kind of shape. The silhouettes offered little insight about his surroundings, so he could do nothing but wait as Taegan felt around. He stopped at a surface with a kind of jar on it. "I would not touch that," Salogel advised, but the dark elf was already going for it. Upon learning that they were standing among urns of ashes, Salogel began backing away. It was a burial ground, then. They were disturbing a graveyard, and Salogel knew before they could even hear weird noise that they would need to get out of there.

The elf was already pulling his companion the way they had come. "You should not have disturbed them," he mumbled, though there was no malice in his voice. "I would not be surprised if this temple was filled with ghosts and remains of the strongest soldiers. We cannot know what we are up against, so we must proceed with caution." Despite not being able to see well in the dark, Salogel managed to maneuver them back to the light. He didn't slow down; instead, he kept pressing on, not wanting to risk stopping. They traversed through known rooms, until they reached another dead end. Salogel released Taegan and sighed. "Well," he commented, "not entirely a waste of time. I have poison, and now we know now to go down there."

[MidKnight]

Taegan felt his body rushed, but his mind was slowed. His eyes trying to catch his surroundings and yet everything was a blur. He couldn't figure what or where he was. Suddenly, when the two had finally stopped, something had taken over Taegan's body. He could see and hear everything, but he could not control his movement. "S...Salo.." He managed to speak before something clenched his throat. His teeth grind as he tried to speak again.

His hand reached up towards the other, fingers at the base of his neck. Pushing towards the dead end wall. His other hand reached for his knife, keeping him from extracting out of it's sheath. His body was close to his, his muscles tensed up as he tried to resist of whatever was controlling him. His eyes looking into the other. "I...I can't control it." He managed to speak again, hard breathing as he tried to force his hand away from Salogel's throat. His eyes filled with worried and fear of what was happening.

He looked at his hand and noticed that he managed to pull away just a few inches. But it struggled as his hand tried to reach for Salogel's throat again. If what Salogel had said earlier was true, then this was his punishment for disturbing the dead. His heart pounding, his lungs filled with air. His strength was waning. His eyes looked around, trying to see what his surrounding had looked like. Then he sees it, a faint light through small cracks. When darkness takes control, the light will set him free. A old wise tale, but he had to see if it was true. "The...the light!" He said loudly.

[Ashen]

Finally things seemed to be calm in this death trap of a temple. Salogel was grateful for the moment to catch his breath. He had poison now, and as they paused he started to think of the ways he could use it. Acid-soaked arrows, it was a tactic used in old wars, and with a poison this deadly... He was busy thinking of new possibilities, of new places they could seek and what they might be able to find, when suddenly, he was being attacked.

His perpetrator was the dark elf. Surprise crossed Salogel's pale eyes for only a moment. It didn't take him long to realize there was no way the creature who had him pinned was not Taegan. There was something about this being's facial expression, the way he seemed to be fighting with far more force than Salogel could feel at his neck. Perhaps this temple was far more mysterious than Salogel could have guessed. Salogel didn't know what to do; he didn't want to harm Taegan, knowing this thing possessing him was not him, but he also could not just let himself be killed. Who could know how long Taegan could hold off?

Salogel had to act. He drew an arrow and wedged it between Taegan's hand and his neck, placing enough distance to slip away from the dark elf. Safe, Salogel drew his arrow like a miniature lance, and he used it to keep distance between himself and Taegan. Listening to the other, he was perplexed. Light? The light? "Taegan?" Salogel murmured. "Stay with me, you can fight it."

A thought crossed the old elf's mind, something that gave him pause. It would be so easy to abandon Taegan now, to let the creature suffer and go on by himself. He would get the treasure for sure then, bring the immortality back to his kind. Salogel would be hailed as a hero to his people, a godsend among elves. He could take full credit for everything within this cave, and he could forget all about the oddities within these walls. He looked to Taegan again, watched as he struggled to breathe. So easy to drive an arrow through an unguarded throat...

The elf turned away. It was not like him to even exercise such thoughts of pride and unfairness. He would not kill the dark elf, not unless he felt he had to. Helpless and on the floor, Salogel felt Taegan was far from that point. He thought back to his words again. The light... He turned to meet his gaze. There, among the cracked stone walls, was a small beam of light shining through. Salogel went to the wall and started hitting at the cracks with his dagger, wondering if it would be in vain.

[MidKnight]

Feeling is body being pushed to it's limit, his strength nearly gone as he tried everything he can to hold back. He looked at the other Elf as if he was thinking of what needed to be done. He fell to his knees and looked once more to see Salogal had begun digging into the crack wall. Then he felt a change in his body, pushing away from a light beam that touched his again. A faint scream echoed in his head, and pain. He pushed towards the light, but whatever was controlling him fought back.

He looked upwards again and this time, he heard a loud crash and dust raised up, covering his vision. He pushed himself harder towards the light as it shined in the darkness. Screaming in pain as he leaped towards the bright light, he felt every inch of his skin burn and the scream echoed in his head once more.

His body landed on the ground hard and breathed in exhaustion. The demon that controlled him fled and returned to back where it came.

Taegan could feel his body covered with sweat and exhaustion from such disturbance. But more importantly, he looked up to see Salogal. No words could be spoken of how he felt, saved by what supposed to be a foe. But he no longer had cared about that. He sits on his knees, breathing slowly and was very tired. His eyes looked up to the Elven warrior in front of him. He placed his hand on his shoulder and slowly moved towards neck, then his palm on his jawline. "Thank you." He said, leaning forward and kissed the Elf on the lips.

He pulled away and collapsed to his side. His eyes shut and went into a deep slumber.

[Ashen]

And then it was over. Salogel had noticed how the light seemed to be hurting whatever was possessing Taegan. He'd kept working, and as the suffering finally seemed to end, Salogel was glad for it. Taegan fell to the ground, hard, but whatever had been within him now seemed gone. Salogle exhaled and watched the being, waiting to see if it truly was gone. After there was no movement, the elf assumed they were safe.

They were quiet for a while. Salogel wanted to give the dark elf time to calm down and process what had occurred. He looked away, though he kept his ears attuned to Taegan's breathing. What other horrors could be waiting within these walls? What would have happened if Salogel were just a bit slower? Absently he felt at his neck, but he soon shook his thoughts. It was best to not dwell on hypothetical situations. The beast was gone, they were both alive, and they were going to continue this journey.

Taegan moved, so Salogel brought his attention back to him. He watched as the dark elf came closer and kissed him on the lips. The action stunned Salogel for a moment; he didn't know that he had ever been kissed, and from a dark elf at that. He accepted the gesture with grace and bowed his head a little. "It would not benefit me to have you rabid and after me," he explained simply. "I am undeserving of your thanks." But by then Taegan had fallen back, asleep, and Salogel wondered if he had heard him at all.

Salogel did not leave Taegan. He explored the room, trying to discover more, but he knew Taegan needed to be protected. He didn't know how taxing the possession was, but he didn't want to chance losing his only companion if they happened to be attacked and the dark elf was not at his full capacity. Salogel took to the light behind the rocks. He made a sizable hold in the wall to study, but the light was too blinding. He kept chipping at it, wearing his bodkin, but eventually he made a hole large enough to crawl through. Still listening for Taegan, he continued, and found himself in a new room with giant iron doors. They, of course, did not budge when Salogel touched them. In the center of the room was a statue, the source of the light. Salogel had to find out more.

The light was blinding, and it hurt to look at. Still, the elf knew this must have been some clue. There was an inscription on a plaque in front of the statue. This, too, radiated light and was difficult to read. Salogel squinted into it, making out some of the symbols. It was in Old Elvish, and given time, he would be able to decipher it. He shook his head, and he made his way back towards Taegan. There would be time when the dark elf awoke. For now, he had to make sure nothing happened.

[MidKnight]

Taegan had a dream but when he woke. He could not remember it. It was bright and dark altogether. When his eyes opened, it felt like he was still dreaming. He leans up from his side and looked around to see if the other was around. But he was gone. Only one thing that crossed his mind. Salogel left him behind to die.

He felt pathetic as he finally positioned himself. Sitting on the ground with his back leaning on the wall. He was trying to remember about what happened. He felt controlled and attacked Salogel for no reason. But once he was free from what ever possessed him. He remembered kissing the other on the lips and then nothing. His head felt back hitting the wall behind him. He remained where he was thinking about over and over. Until he heard noise coming into the room.

He reached for his weapon but stopped once he noticed it was the other male. He looked relief to see him and yet odd at the same time. Leaving his double blade on the ground, he returned leaning back on the wall. His eyes gazed at his. "Your wondering about why I kissed you?" He asked softly. "I didn't mean no disrespect." He added.

"Kissing someone else usually means that we have finally accepted you. Earning our respect is something we care about." His eyes looked to the weapon laying on the ground. "And sometimes it can be used for relationships like love ones..." He paused for a moment. "If you have any objections...now is the time to say something."

[Ashen]

As Salogel stepped back into the room where he expected to find Taegan still sleeping, he heard the sounds of the dark elf stirring. He laid his eyes on the other, noticing he had hit his head loudly. They locked eyes for a moment; Taegan dropped his weapon and Salogel lowered the arrow he had prepared just in case. There was an odd look on the dark elf's face and, for a moment, Salogel wondered if perhaps the dark being was back within him. But as the dark elf spoke, Salogel sighed. He was normal, and they could rest easy for now.

His words confused the old elf. Salogel looked away awkwardly. "I am well aware of what the gesture means," he mumbled. "Our cultures are not as different as you may think." The ever-composed elf now looked uncomfortable. His face was warm as he tried to figure out just what Taegan was saying. It was a barbaric idea; those who respected him often kept their distance, and they were few in number. Loved ones had been entirely vacant in his life since he could remember. Some dark elf suggesting a beginning to something was strange to think about. "I hardly know you," he said. "I think we have tasks to focus on."

Salogel turned around, towards the hold he had made in the wall. "There are some clues beyond here," he said. "The light is blinding beyond here, so I advise you to prepare yourself for that. There is a plaque out here, with Old Elvish on it, and if just given the time I'm sure I could read it, but it's so painful to the eyes... If only there were some way to capture what the plaque says without having to stare directly at the light... Never mind, can you read Old Elvish? I'd imagine not, and that's alright." He disappeared into the hole, reappearing in the blindingly bright room. With eyes closed, Salogel made his way back to the plaque and stared at it again. He could feel a headache forming from the light, so he closed his eyes and ran his fingers along the letters. They were slightly raised, and admittedly harder to read this way. "The statue," he said, pointing in the way of it. "Perhaps that has something of a clue to it."

[MidKnight]

Old Elvish. Taegan remembered a partial of the history lesson given by the elders of his home. Some of the teachings were to remember the old ways before the war. He remembered sitting there as a child as he looked at the writing. Some of it he does remember but vague. Other times he ignored it and sleep on his desk. He was still punished for sleeping in class however.

He followed the other elf and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I can't see." He said softly and kept a slight grip on his shoulder. A pain tensed on his eye lids and followed the male to where the writing was. "I can read Old Elvish." He said.

He could see the brightness behind his eyelids and continued groaning as he followed. When they stopped Taegan made his way to the wall and placed his hand on the wall and there he could feel the engraved words around his finger tips. He frowned on the words as he traced each one carefully. He tried to remember each letter from his childhood but each one was difficult as he kept tracing. "It's really hard to read like this." He muttered softly. "I can barely make the words but something about a hidden passage beyond the light." He moved his head around as if he tried. "An offering?" He looked confused.

[Ashen]

The elf could feel tears pinprick the corners of his eyes. Though it caused such a headache, the light offered warmth and comfort, the likes of which Salogel had not felt in a long time. He stopped tracing the letters for a moment to wander back towards the statue. "Not a passage," he replied to the dark elf. "Vocabulary is not necessarily my strong suit when it comes to linguistic matters, but... I think it reads that it wants us to find a cave. I can make out the words east and statue, but the rest is too difficult." Salogel squinted into the mess again and was immediately reminded why he had kept his eyes closed before. He would go blind in here before long, but there had to be something. A cave... Why would they have to find a cave?

As Salogel was wondering to himself, his hands found the statue in the room. He felt around it in search of a clue. "There are stones here," she said. "They feel the same, five in total. When pressed on, they move a bit. I wonder if there's..." His voice trailed as he found the statue again. Running his hands over the words, Salogel recalled the Old Elvish terms for different colors. "Red, green, yellow, green, violet," he read. "The stones... I wonder." He opened his eyes again, and sure enough, like dark beacons in a sea of light, the stones were different colors. He pressed them in the order he had read, and as soon as his fingers brushed over the violet stone the light died. Salogel was dazed for a moment as his eyes readjusted to the low lighting. Now it was too dark. "That did... something," he mumbled. The colored stones gave off a soft glow, the only light in the entire room.

Now trapped in darkness, Salogel stood and felt his way around the room. "What a curious puzzle," he commented. "If I read correctly... If there is an entrance to a cave here, we should be able to hear the echo." Using the stones as a placeholder, Salogel called out. He got no echo in response; however, he did hear the unmistakable moan of a monster. "Taegan!" he called. "Ready your weapon! These are hardly ideal fighting conditions, but we haven't a choice!"

[MidKnight]

Once they were in a dark room. Taegan's eyesight returned and was able to see once more but only in the dark. His vision lit up the area but still dark in some areas. He heard Salogels voice telling to him to ready his weapon. But his hand quickly reached out to his wrist. "Stay your hand." He said softly like a whisper. "Don't make a sound." He added walking quietly around the stones on the ground. He looked around to see if anything was moving but the moans were getting louder and louder.

His hand touches the surface of the hard ground below him. Feeling a pebble and picked up gently. He looked to a dark spot area and tossed the pebble. Tossing the pebble made some noise and something started to move. Like a slither sound of a snake would make. He seen a large leg moving but with claws on its feet. The monster didn't bother with the light but was more interest in the noise. He figured the creature must be blind and it must rely on it's hearing to find it's next meal.

He slowly walked to Salogel and pulled him close to speak softly in his ear. "It listens...it is blind." He voice was gentle and soothing. "We must be careful how we interact with the stones." He looked to the stone that had lit up like a torch. "I will keep distracting him...you keep pressing." He walked to the other side of the room and picked up a few more pebbles to toss.

[Ashen]

Salogel was startled when Taegan reached for him, but when he heard the moaning in the silence, he began to understand. The creature they were facing had no idea where they were. Of course it was blind; living in a room as dramatically lit as this one, what would not be? He listened as Taegan began distracting the monster, giving him the opportunity to explore the room.

The elf got right to work. His fingers danced over wall and floor, stone and vegetation, countless unknown shapes. Beside the statue, a short distance from the colored stones, was a break in the wall. Salogel pressed in stones beside it before ultimately assuming it was the product of ages of wear and not the puzzle creator's intent. He went to explore the rest of the room, and his hands graced over prickly bushes. He heard rattling from within, but he could leave no stone unturned. Salogel crouched beside the bush and drove his hand into the bush. Immediately his hand was bitten by something, but his fingers also found a door. He pulled at it, revealing an entrance below. "Taegan!" he called, and he started down into the dark depths.

His wrist was burning. Salogel didn't know what had bit him, but he knew they had to get out of that room. Stairs spiraled downwards, nearly tripping Salogel several times. He could not hear Taegan following him, so he called for him again. Down below, he could see the subtle twinkle of a lantern. "Light!" he announced. "Get down here and close the door!"

[MidKnight]

He continued throwing little pebbles on the ground. Away from the other so he could finish what they had started. He kept his distance while doing so as he noticed the creature had spikes on it's back. He observed both his companion and the creature that lurked. He kept throwing pebbles left and right until he stumbled on a larger rock that made too much noise and gave away his position. He gasped as he looked down and back at the creature which made it's way to him.

He waited till it got closer. Tip toe as quietly as he can. He moved away but once he heard something that made more loud noise the creature growled and moved back at his direction. He reached for his weapon and gives a quick slice. The skin sounded like rock material as his spear did not damage. The monster growled loudly and swung it's large arm claw at his direction. Three marks pressed again'st his chest as he fell on his back. He heard a faint voice from where the noise had came from. "Salogel." He said quietly as he groaned in pain. The monster sniffed and sensed his blood. He got back up and backed away before the monster could reach him.

Taegan moved quickly to the door that was opened. He turned quickly to pull it shut as he saw the monster chasing him only to hit a wall and shut the door in front of him. Forcing Taegan to fall backwards and go tumbling down the stair case. Hitting every step until he finally stepped and groaned in pain not moving an inch of his body. "That hurt." He said softly.

[Ashen]

Salogel quickly grew irritated with how long Taegan was taking to follow him. He stood near the door, lingering close enough so that he would be able to go back into the room and help if need be. That proved unnecessary, however, and as Salogel watched the dark elf fall onto the stairs, he let out a long sigh. Hopefully the blind creature would not be able to follow them into the narrow door, so at least for now, they were safe.

They were in a dark alleyway, and the distant light promised some kind of salvation. Salogel padded towards it, still wary. "Can you walk?" he asked Taegan. "If possible, I'd prefer to not stay in such tight quarters for long. I don't know how long that door will last or what lies at the other end of this path. It would be best to scurry along before finding out." He started for the light again, assuming Taegan would follow.

As he walked, Salogel felt himself grow weaker and weaker. His wrist was in agony, and he had to wonder just what had bitten him. He hadn't felt anything injected into him. Still, he placed his mouth to his wound and tried to suck out whatever poison was in him. He tasted only blood, and spitting that to the ground, he tried to grin and bear it. In the light he would be able to see his wound better and hopefully get to it before anything too severe took hold.

"We need to move," Salogel said. He tried to mask the pain in his voice, so his tone was harsher than usual. "Something bit me, and I need to get to some light."

[MidKnight]

Taegan followed the other elf to safety and away from danger. He was curious of the other since he was looking odd since they climbed down the stairs. Observing Salogel condition as he tried something with his wrist he realized something did indeed bit him back in the darkness. Taegan quickly moved to his side and placed his arm around his neck to give him support. "Come." He said softly as he took each step slowly for Salogel to move.

He looked at the wound quickly while using his ability to see. He could see the blood oozing out but also a black tar. He sighs and shook his head slowly. "That's not good." He muttered softly. "We need to find some herbs." He wanted to add in about how he can extract the poison from his wound. Taegan's people had study poison for quite some time. Some poison can instantly kill. Other times it would kill the victim slowly. The poison in Salogel was different. It seem to move in his body fast in his blood. He growled softly as he continued to carry half of his weight. "We need to move fast." He admitted.

He stopped for a moment to pick up the elf and cradle in his arms. Moving quickly to the open light area in hopes to find herbs. Once they made out in the open area. A fresh breeze of air brushed again'st Taegan's arm. He felt the cool wind wrapping around his body. He wanted to bask in it's nature but the poison was a more priority mission. He found a soft grass area to lay Salogel down and started searching for herbs in the area. He moved quickly to find flowers and other materials he could use. It took several minutes but he found several colored herbs including a white flower. He returned to Salogel. "I need a fire." He grabbed a few sticks laying around and dried leaves to help build up the flames. Two stones was he needed. Scraping again'st each other for a single spark to initiate the flame. It took him a couple of tries once the flames had finally caught. He searched his bag and finds his water pouch with a tool to make paste.

He takes the flowers and herbs together. Cutting the plants into tiny pieces and placed them in the large cup. He poured a little water and used another item to smash the plants into something like paste or goo. He had to be quick seeing how Salogel's condition was getting worse. He sets the cup next to the fire to let the paste boil for a bit. He moved over to Salogel and reached for his wounded hand. Examining the wrist where the open wound revealed itself. "This is gonna hurt." He said to the elf. He leans forward and bite around the wound and sucks hard. He done this for only a short moment before pulling away and spit out the blood with black ooze. He done it once more to keep some of the poison prolonged the effect. He spits again and reaches for the paste cup. He dipped his finger inside and placed it on the wound. Covering the wound completely. He looked to Salogel and sighs softly. "You need to eat some of it." He dipped his finger again and placed it in front of his face. "The rest will take care of the rest."

[Ashen]

Salogel was suddenly aware of the dark elf's eyes on him. Taegan was concerned about his bite, and he went on to express their need to find herbs. Salogel opened his mouth to protest, but Taegan was already on the move. Salogel shrugged and continued walking, but he stopped when Taegan suddenly turned around and made like he was about to lift him. Small and agile as the elf was, Salogel was sure Taegan would have no issue carrying him down this corridor. However, Salogel wouldn't dare allow someone else to carry his weight, not when he had no problems walking on his own. The elf swatted the other away. "I'd refrain from doing that," he said softly, almost a snarl. "I can get on fine. You worry about yourself."


As they continued on, Salogel noticed the dark elf was all too interested in what was going on within his body. "Taegan," he tried, but the creature wasn't listening to him. He was too intent on making some salve, some medicine that would help treat whatever poison had entered his body. Salogel wanted to say that he'd already tried to suck on his wound, that he'd come up with nothing and was sure he'd be fine, but he knew there was no point in his protest. He sat down on a soft, grassy area and let Taegan run around looking for leaves and berries. Salogel even chuckled to himself. A dark elf was trying to make a concoction to treat an elf. As if Salogel's people weren't known for healing and alchemy. He rolled his eyes. If only the bloke would listen...


The old elf was still as Taegan started his fire and crushed up his herbs. He mumbled about wasted time, but he needed a moment to calm down after their adventure upstairs, anyway. He looked up again when he heard the dark elf address him. "Do not touch me with that," he said softly, staring intently at the paste in the other's cup. "I trust you know how to make salves, though I doubt you could make one better than an elf, Taegan. Regardless, I've already told you I am well. Whatever is in me will work its way out. I just need to rest for a little bit, that's all. I've checked for poison already." He turned away from the other. "We will not get very far if you act of your own accord."